


Pursuit of Happiness

by orphan_account



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-28
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-24 22:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/945153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann totally has a hot model wife. It's not his bloody fault no one wants to believe him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pursuit of Happiness

**One.**

"Dude!" Dr. Geiszler screeches, and it's all Hermann can do not to drop his chalk. He does _not_  drop it, because he's more than used to Dr. Geiszler's outbursts, but still. It's a close call.

"What?" he asks, grimacing, and does not turn around. Attention must be paid, or Dr. Geiszler will continue yapping until he's acknowledged, but it doesn't have to be _much_. Rather pointedly Hermann keeps writing on his board.

"Your finger! It's-- you got a ring, dude!"

"Dr. Geiszler," Hermann says, and he actually heaves a sigh as he turns around, because there's a theatrical side of him he can't deny, "I have been wearing this ring on and off for the past seven years. The only times I have removed it are when I suspected it might be lost or damanged, and even then, it was not for long. You have not noticed _for seven years_  that I have been married?"

"Uh . . . no, dude," Dr. Geiszler says blankly. At least he has the grace to look slightly abashed by that. "I mean, I don't really look at your fingers that much, I guess. Or, let's face it, ever. But, you know, congrats! What's her name? His name?"

"Vanessa," he answers curtly, and turns back to his board. But that's hardly the end of it, it seems; a second later and his lab partner is in his line of sight once more.

" _What_ \--"

"Tell me about her! Come on, man, you don't even have a picture-- when'd you meet her? What's she do? Do you two have, like, kids? Oh, _man,_ are there tiny Hermanns running around glaring at walls and hating the world and looking like they were born at age 35? Because if there are--"

Hermann heaves another pointed sigh and begins digging in his pocket. "We met at school some years ago, she is a model, we do not have any children presently, and if I show you a picture, will you _please_ shut up and leave me to my work?" Without waiting for an answer he begins flipping through the photos on his phone, trying to find a good picture-- not that Vanessa ever sent him _bad_  pictures, god no, but there are many that are just for him (some sexual, some wonderfully intimate, neither of which he wants to share with his labmate). He finally finds one he approves of-- a shot of her he himself had taken on his last shore leave. She's leaning against a tree, pushing her black hair back from her face, laughing at some absurd joke he'd made-- and even looking at the photo now makes his heart swell. He wants to smile. He doesn't, but by god, he wants to; she looks so happy there, so utterly pleased.

"A _model_?" Dr. Geiszler peers at the photo for a few seconds before snorting. "Yeah, right, dude, and I'm dating Christina Neva. Nice try."

**Two.**

"A _model_?"

Why, Hermann thinks with no small amount of annoyance, is it always with that tone of voice? Certainly it's a surprising fact-- he's not conventionally attractive, god knows-- but it's not as if he's some sort of-- of _kaiju._ Is it really so hard to believe that an attractive woman might go for something beyond physical looks? Honestly, it's like they're all in high school again.

But perhaps he was expecting too much out of Tendo Choi. The man is surprisingly insightful at times, but can be annoyingly vapid at others. Such as now.

"Come on, man, at least sell me something believable. A math professor, or a, a, a kindergarden teacher, or _some_ thing--"

"Mr. Choi, simply because I happen to enjoy mathamatics _does not mean_ \--"

"No, I get it!" He throws up his hands in surrender with a little grin. "I totally get it, I've lied about relationships too-- I mean, not now, of course, not with Alison and Yeye, but hey, man, whatever gets you through the day--"

"Forget it," Hermann hisses, and turns abruptly, stalking out of the cafeteria. Children, all of them. _Honestly._

**Three.**

"Honestly?"

" _Yes_ , Newton," Hermann says, and exhales irritably. Ten years they've been working together now, and they're still having the same imbecilic conversations.

"Dude, I thought you were totally lying! Or, like, maybe joking? Some sort of weird stoic humor or whatever-- but you're totally serious! Oh my god, there's a ton of these--" Newton keeps skimming through Hermann's phone, his eyebrows rising as he takes in picture after picture; with an irritated growl Hermann snatches his phone back.

"Give me _that_ \-- why on earth would I lie? I have no reason to." Pointedly he pushes his phone deep into his trouser pocket.

"Yeah, I know, but--" Newton breaks off. Rather uncharacteristically he rubs the back of his neck and glances away awkwardly. Hermann frowns-- and then, impatiently: "But what?"

"But I mean-- don't take offense, okay?-- but you're not exactly the sort a model would go for." And then, in a rush: "I mean, like, you've totally got your charms! Totally! But I mean-- not the sort of charms a model would go for." There's a moment where Newton actually has the audacity to _glance down at his trousers_ , as if trying to confirm that hypothesis, and Hermann thinks he may actually be near apoplexy.

" _For your information,_  Newton, she's far more intelligent and insightful than the apparently vapid personality you've assigned to her," he snaps, and turns toward his desk, shoving his things into his briefcase. Newton grabs his arm, trying to stop him.

"No, dude, I'm not-- I'm seriously worried about you, dude, like, maybe we should see a doctor-- I'm not trying to make fun of you!" he insists as Hermann pulls away. "We work like a million hours a week, there's a lot of stress, and nobody's got the time to see a therapist-- Hermann, _hang on_ \--"

But the slam of the door was the only answer he gives. 

**Four.**

A slam of the door and the sound of an umbrella being sheathed first announces her, but it's the distinctly Germanic accent that first clues Newt in. They're a multi-national defense core, sure, but how many people come from Germany besides he and Hermann?

"I'm-- ah-- trying to find the K-Science Division?" A woman-- a _woman,_ emphasis and all, because she's incredibly tall and has this gorgeous black hair that curls around her face and a shy curve of a smile and holy mother of _god_  who even walks in from the rain and looks good? Newt hadn't thought that was an actual thing, okay, he'd sort of thought everyone in the world looked more or less like a drowned rat, but apparently not, great, wonderful, and he'd be annoyed about it except how could he possibly be annoyed with this woman-- this _woman_ , who had just asked him a question and is now staring at him a little uncertainly.

"Uh-- yeah! Right down that way. Are you looking for somewhere-- someone?" Vaguely he gestures to his left, encompassing not only the correct hallway but two others, as well as part of the ceiling. Self-loathing crawls up from deep in his throat; vaguely Newt wonders if he could just sort of drop dead right now. _God._ He doesn't seem to remember what words are, or even basic motor functions-- but she's so _gorgeous,_ it's not even fair.

"Doctor Hermann Gottlieb?" She smiles uncertainly as the penny begins to drop. "He said he'd meet me here, but I'm afraid he might have gotten distracted--" 

"Vanessa!" Hermann hustles down the hall, the biggest grin Newt has ever seen on his face, and it's like something cliche out of a movie-- she runs to him, she actually _runs_ to him, and then there's joyful hugs and multiple kisses and _oh my god,_  he thinks, and then he realizes he's said it out loud, "Oh my god."

A few people have turned to stare, not least of which because no one's ever seen Hermann this _happy_  before. He's actually _laughing_ , an easy thing that makes him look less like fifty and more like the thirty-five year old he really is. There are a few whistles when Vanessa leans down to kiss him again, but the couple seem utterly lost to anything that doesn't concern them both. They're talking rapidly in German together, babbling back and forth, and Herman's pushing his hand against her face like he's almost afraid to see if she's real, and she's nearly bent down, which would be funny if their reunion wasn't so touching, and Newt can't seem to stop  _staring_ \--

"Well, I'll be." Newt jumps a little as Tendo Choi comes up beside him. At least he looks as baffled as Newt feels; it's nice to know he's not the only one who had his (utterly reasonable!) doubts. "The son of a bitch wasn't lying after all."

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a prompt on the kink meme (http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/1613.html?thread=2929229#t2929229)! I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing fanfiction; bless this prompt for booting me back into it.


End file.
